Win A Raheem DeVaughn Hamper
To celebrate Raheem DeVaughn's latest release Love & War Masterpiece, [Evolutionary] is giving away a small hamper with all three of his albums. I anticipate a career that will continue to grow and give birth to truly great soul music. DeVaughn creates classics and, if these three albums are anything to go by, the future is to be anticipated with excitement. To win the three albums - The Love Experience, Love Behind The Melody, and Love & War Masterpiece, all you have to do is leave a comment in this post, answering the question below: What does B.O.B. stand for in the song of that...
RIM Jumps In With New Operating System – Blackberry 6
Research In Motion has been very busy. Firstly, it has launched a new operating system for its smartphones, the BlackBerry® 6 which comes with a range of features designed to further entrench Blackberry in the smartphone landscape. These include: Visual, Fluid Interface - BlackBerry® 6 has been redesigned making it easier and more intuitive, with clean, sleek visuals and natural, fluid navigation. Views - It offers multiple views that help users organise their applications and content. Icons are arranged on the Home Screen in 5 customizable views (All, Favorites, Media, Downloads and...
To Reflect A Nation (7)
South Africa has talent. This is not just in terms of the reality show that is about to go into its second season but also from a television and film production perspective. Some years ago, I used to develop television concepts for various clients (mainly production companies) and was always inspired by the level of creativity at all levels of the production process, from directors and camera people to production managers and editors. The troubles at SABC has created a massive void and put many a creative out of work. I am hoping this situation will improve and that Mzansi Magic will add to...
I Am The ReeZon
ReeZon is a Ghanaian rap artist based in Chicago, US, who I have come to know over the last year through twitter. He has been on a journey to record and release his debut album, I Am The Reezon, that reflects the never-say-die attitude of many African artists, both on the continent and in the diaspora. He has poured everything he has into this album and it is now available on iTunes, CD Baby and Amazon. I was honoured to be asked to contribute some words which are included in the intro to the album which should be the first in a series of projects under the independent entertainment company,...
Creating African Superheroes (7)
Comic books, cartoon strips, graphic novels ... they have served as an escape for many a child (and some adults). They are filled with lessons, creativity, hope, refuge, etc. Comic book artist Alex Ross touches on this in this interview: httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlC9Q8Vr90M It isn't easy to find African superheroes though and, sadly, historically, African characters in comic books have often been fringe characters. In my column in last Sunday's 7, I share my thoughts on comics and Africa ... [City Press]
The iPad Made Me Do It
The hype behind Apple and its products somehow passed me by. Even as a lover of music on the go, having spent good money on my first Sony Walkman in the late 80s, the iPod passed me by. I heard the murmurings, saw people starting to walk around with the white headphones, but just wasn't drawn to it. The only times I really took notice of Macs was when I was involved in television production and the editors worked off them. I figured it was designed for them. I eventually got an iPod Touch. Love it. Road trips no longer required a stack of CDs. I don't do much else on it but play music and it...
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calling.you.calling.me
iphoneography by Nique88888
Get Off Your High Horse (7)
We are all capable of much and often wear many hats. To view another as merely a doctor or a lawyer or a singer, with all the stereotypes that come with those, is to do the individual a gross injustice. We create these boxes and then spend much time trying to ensure that all within the 'group' stay within those boxes. Being someone involved on the fringes of the arts, having come from a more business background, I always struggled to stay focused on my motives and my plan and make sense of the poet in me.... [City Press]
Blackberry Messenger Traffic Spikes Worldwide
Blackberry Messenger has taken over many of our lives, having become the underground twitter. RIM just released some interesting facts about BBM and its usage during the World Cup. Over the past month, RIM saw a clear correlation between BBM traffic and significant events during the World Cup as fans shared their delights and despairs in real time with friends and family during live match action. Throughout the World Cup, there were several notable moments that correlated with BBM traffic. Some of the most significant included: During a thrilling World Cup final between the Netherlands and...
What Have You Done With Your Flag?
I really don't know how I feel about this. In the lead up to the World Cup, South African flags became all the rage. Before, you would only see them on government and other official type buildings and spaces. Just before, the flag was on cars, in windows, on t-shirts, etc. It did feel a bit strange but it was heartening to see a certain pride being taken in nationhood. Sadly, as we journeyed deeper into the tournament - and after Bafana Bafana was knocked out - the flags seemed to become fewer and fewer, particularly on cars. Now. With the World Cup only a few days behind us, I have not seen...
Raheem DeVaughn: Soul Legend In The Making?
There is something about the 70s, particularly in terms of music and fashion. Though hard to define, the 70s were funky and soulful and meaningful. So much spirit and energy went into that decade; politics, social issues, militancy and consciousness seemed to fuse with love and sex and music and life. I was born into the 70s and so it has a sweet memory to it that came from young naive eyes. I do remember the afros and tie-and-dye shirts and corduroy trousers and the parties at home and Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Barry White, Aretha Franklin, Ike and...
chess.master
as an artist, the power of collaboration can never be under-stated. i do not get the opportunity to do much of it. a friend, nique88888, is an iphoneographer and has been chasing me about writing some random words inspired by his images - the pictures are inspiring, the problem has been with the writer. recently, nique twitpic'd the chess.master and, without much thought, i scribbled a couple of words. he seemed to like them and did me honour of posting my words on his site. i am doing the same with his image and, hopefully, we will have a lot more in future. your thoughts would be...
Re-definition of Cool (7)
It was one of those random conversations that have a weird habit of cropping up in the most random of times. I was having a chat with a friend about something football-related - trying to outdo each other with whose team was better. We were going back & forth and we somehow end up on 'what constitutes cool'. One of the challenges of having a weekly column in a newspaper is having something remotely relevant to talk about every week. For last week's 7 in City Press, I tried to decipher cool .... [City Press]
Nelson Mandela Tribute In 3D
In the lead up to Nelson Mandela’s 92nd birthday on July 18th, the Nelson Mandela Foundation held the Legacy Gala Dinner where some of South Africa’s top artists performed, leading fashion and jewellery designers created pieces inspired by Madiba’s legacy and values and these pieces and other memorabilia were auctioned. Madiba has lived a rich live that can serve as an example for all of us and key to events such as the Legacy Dinner, as well as Mandela Day, is for all of us to draw inspiration from his life and his legacy to create a future we can all be proud of. I was fortunate enough to...
The TV Game Requires Skill (7)
The football player as TV analyst can be a fascinating experience. At a time when most of us are starting to create strong careers, most football players are starting new ones. After a lifetime of working towards playing at the highest level, they are dealing with a new world, learning new skills and find new ways of applying old skills. Other than becoming coaches, or fading into the background, many end up in the media, doing commentary or analysis on games. Click to read my thoughts on this trend .... [more in City Press]